Authorities allege that the professor took $300,000 in federal grant dollars.

Not good.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann of The Express-Times reported.

Lehigh University engineer allegedly pocketed $300,000 in NASA scam

A Lehigh University professor is charged with wire fraud after he and his wife allegedly pocketed $300,000 in federal grant money that was supposed to benefit a NASA research project, according to court papers.

Yujie Ding, 52, and his wife, identified in court documents as Y.Z., in June 2010 proposed developing a research project for NASA, according to papers filed last week in federal court.

The couple agreed to carry out a $600,000 project through Ding’s Upper Saucon Township-based company, ArkLight, in conjunction with his lab at the Bethlehem university, according to federal invesigators.

Investigators later learned the work was actually performed by a Lehigh University graduate student, identified as D.L., while the couple pocketed $300,000. The rest of the money went to Lehigh University, court documents say.

NASA approved ArkLight’s proposal and funding in May 2011 but ArkLight did none of the work, according to a complaint filed last week in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia.

“ArkLight had no laboratory or equipment. Other than Ding and YZ, ArkLight has no known employees, contractors or affiliates,” court documents say.

Ding did not immediately return a voicemail for comment. It is unclear if his wife is being charged in the scheme.